


A Detailed and Comprehensive Guide As To How Not To Cockblock, by Castiel J. Novak

by bloodscout



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-07
Updated: 2012-04-07
Packaged: 2017-11-03 05:17:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/377709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodscout/pseuds/bloodscout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From his vantage point in the Winchester kitchen, Castiel sees all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Detailed and Comprehensive Guide As To How Not To Cockblock, by Castiel J. Novak

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nileflood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nileflood/gifts).



> A second stab at nileflood's prompt because the first one wasn't too great. This also kinda fills the 'Matchmaker!Cas' prompt. Or, at least, it was meant to.

**1\. Avoid the potential couple unless called upon.**  
Castiel was good at sneaking around. He was very good at it, in fact. He had surprised Dean more than once, jumping up behind him or emerging, previously unnoticed, from a corner of a dark room. It caused Castiel no end of amusement, but he always managed to keep his face more or less blank. He felt it added to the ambiance of the whole ordeal.  
He was in the kitchen, making himself a cup of tea, when he overheard Sam and Gabriel’s conversation. It was decided that Gabriel was going to pick Sam up after school that day, as Dean had to work late and he was still too overprotective to trust Sam with catching the bus alone. Castiel thought that was a bit ridiculous, honestly – the boy was seventeen – but he supposed working in Missing Persons made a guy a little jumpy.  
Gabriel had opened the door and ushered Sam in, both looking a little worn out from the week.  
‘Thank God it’s Friday.’ Sam muttered, throwing himself down on the couch.  
Gabriel pulled a chair over and flipped it around, straddling the back.  
‘So I got back my science exam today.’ Gabriel mentioned ruefully.  
Sam’s eyebrows quirked. ‘And? How’d you go? You studied loads, I saw you.’  
Gabriel grimaced. ‘Exactly.’ He said, though did not elaborate upon his marks.  
Sam frowned. ‘What did you get?’ he asked, his tone suggesting that he already knew the mark wasn’t as high as Gabriel would have liked.  
Gabriel sighed, disappointed in himself. ‘Five. Five out of fifty.’

 **2\. Recognise a crucial moment.**  
Gabriel folded his arms over the backrest and leaned his chin on them. He looked thoroughly put out. Sam had moved forwards slightly, an expression of sympathy and barely contained concern on his face. He had never seen Gabriel this down before, had never seen him reach the point where he didn’t know how to bounce back.  
‘That’s alright, though, Gabe. You’ve just started this topic, right? You’ll pick it up.’ Sam encouraged albeit a little weakly.  
‘He could do it.’ Gabriel said, more to himself than to Sam.  
Sam’s frown intensified. ‘You can’t keep comparing yourself to him. You’re different. You… learn different.’ He explained calmly.  
‘Bullshit.’ Gabriel muttered.  
‘Gabe, he's is great, okay?’  
‘He’s so smug all the time, Sam.’ Gabriel complained. ‘He’s all “I’ve got this amazing boyfriend who takes me to baseball games and reads me Vonnegut late at night” and “I’m almost finished my degree, what are _you_ doing with your life, Gabriel?”’ Gabriel made a dismissive “pfft” noise. ‘Who need him, huh? Big brothers…’ he made an angrier noise this time. ‘Older brothers suck.’  
Castiel frowned. He knew Gabriel was talking about him – Gabriel rarely, if ever, spoke about Michael or Luke – but it didn’t phase him. Besides, he couldn’t reveal himself now. Gabriel had already said too much and Castiel had a firm enough grasp on the concept of “awkward” to not want to go there, thank you very much.  
‘Don’t tell me I doesn’t get on your nerves, Sam.’ Gabriel continued. ‘The way they always think they’re so great.’  
Sam shook his head impassively.  
‘Yes it does, and you know it!’ Gabriel cried, then clapped his hand over his mouth. ‘I didn’t mean to say that. I’m just… frustrated. I’m really frustrated.’  
Sam wraps his arms around his knees. ‘He is… he is dad’s favourite. I know that.’  
Gabriel nods grimly.  
‘But I don’t begrudge him anything!’ Sam was quick to deny.  
Gabriel’s severe expression softened. ‘No. I don’t begrudge Castiel anything either. I just… I wish I was recognised for my efforts occasionally. I mean, Cas gets affirmation 24/7 from your brother, doesn’t he?’  
Sam waggled his eyebrows in a hollow echo of a joke. ‘Sounds like you’re a bit jealous. Got a thing for my brother, do you?’  
Gabriel’s hands shot up in front of his chest. ‘No! No, Sam, that’s weird. That’s… that’s _really_ weird.’

 **3\. Resist the urge to intervene, even if it is to help the potential couple realise their feelings for each other.**  
Then it dawned on Castiel. Gabriel had mentioned Dean and Castiel’s relationship twice already, and with an obvious tint of jealousy. Castiel had been following the Sam mental path as Sam and was beginning to wonder if Gabriel had feelings ( _significant_ feelings) for Dean. Castiel had been unsure how to react to that thought – he knew Dean was faithful, but he was a little more than uncomfortable with the possibility that his younger brother was entertaining thoughts about his boyfriend. But now, Castiel understood. Gabriel was not jealous of Castiel being with _Dean_ , he was jealous that Castiel was with someone and he wasn’t.  
Gabriel…  
Gabriel had feelings for Sam.  
Castiel went to punch the air, before realising that he never did that and took a particularly triumphant sip of his tea instead.  
‘Alright, alright, calm down, will you? I was just joking. I know Dean’s not your type. He’s…’ Sam trailed off.  
‘An idiot?’ Gabriel supplied.  
Castiel surpressed an indignant snort. He knew Dean, Kansas-grown Dean, sometimes gave off that uneducated air, but he was far from it. Sure, he’d never read Tolstoy and didn’t have that much of an appreciation for opera, but he was far from _stupid_.  
‘I was going to say “guy”, but if you put it that way, it’s hard to argue.’ Sam said, a little more cheerful now.  
Gabriel’s face turned serious, but only for a split second. It then promptly fell back into it’s trademark smirk. ‘Now, Sammy, you know me. More options, more action.’ He said with a lewd wink.  
Sam frowned yet again, and Castiel was amazed that someone that intelligent could be so perplexed so often.  
‘Uh… Sam, this isn’t… that doesn’t bother you, does it?’ Gabriel said, sounding thoroughly concerned.  
‘Huh?’ Sam asked, distracted. ‘Oh. No. I mean… with Dean and Cas, you know. It’s all fine.’  
‘Good.’ Gabriel concluded, and he sounded less than convinced.

 **4\. Do not be fooled into thinking you can enter the fray when an awkward silence falls. You cannot.**  
Gabriel swallowed a few times, loudly, and Sam stared just over his shoulder, into the foyer. Castiel considered leaving, seeing as the conversation seemed to have finished, but Sam started speaking again and Castiel was imprisoned in the kitchen once again.  
‘I’m okay with it, really.’ Sam offered.  
Gabriel nodded, but didn’t say anything.  
‘And I think…’ Sam started, trying to get the conversation going again. ‘I think you’re worth recognition. I’d recognise your efforts, if you’d let me.’  
Gabriel choked back a laugh, which ended up sounding a bit strangled. ‘Heh. Take that out of context.’ He joked, but sounded a little nervous. He pulled at his fingers anxiously.  
Sam’s eyes widened in his trademark puppy look, which stripped the defenses from Dean and so many others. Castiel coveted the ease with which Sam achieved that look. ‘And what, Gabriel?’ he asked innocently.  
‘And nothing.’ Gabriel replied, trying to pass off his previous remark but failing, given away by his body language.  
Sam got up from the couch and Castiel thought he was going to leave, but he didn’t. Obviously Sam could read body language much better than Castiel could, because Sam just walked up to Gabriel, lifted him from the chair by the lapels of his jacket, and pulled him over to the couch. Gabriel’s expression was a mix between shock and appreciation.  
‘This is the kind of recognition I definitely _don’t_ want from Castiel.’ Gabriel said as Sam pinned him down. Castiel shuddered a little, because _no_.  
‘ _Please_ don’t mention Castiel anymore.’ Sam asked, (and Castiel had to agree) then leaned down and nipped Gabriel’s bottom lip. Castiel turned away abruptly and squeezed his eyes shut.  
Gabriel laughed a little, this time letting it bubble past his lips rather than cutting it off before it left his throat. ‘Getting adventurous, kiddo?’  
Sam mumbled a yes, then nuzzled into the soft skin under Gabriel’s jaw. Gabriel hummed appreciatively. His nose was buried in Sam’s hair, so he surreptitiously took a sniff. It smelt like coconuts and sunshine and Sam. Sam finally moved his lips up to Gabriel’s own. Their mouths met, moved together, shifted under the slight changes in pressure each boy was providing. It was slow, languid and full of mutual admiration. Sam could easily imagine remedying any number of Gabriel’s bad moods like this.

 **5\. Leave when the first distraction presents itself.**  
Castiel looked out at the two boys. They were entwined on the couch, eyes shut and any senses other than touch probably diverted momentarily. He slid the kitchen door open and tiptoed into the foyer.  
When he had reached the front door, he knew he couldn’t open it because the hinges creaked, but he did sent a text to Dean. _Victory. The nervous dance is over._  
He peeked around the hallway partition and quickly sent another. _Now please pick me up. They don’t look like they’re going to finish up any time soon._


End file.
